Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) reacts after sacking Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr during the second half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on December 24, 2022.
Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Las Vegas Raiders Week 16
Steelers fans are already looking ahead to the 2023 season. Here are three players who will take big steps forward and one who won’t ahead of next year.
Mike Tomlin isn’t used to having his season end before the postseason arrives. That’s just what’s happening for the Steelers this year though. That has everyone in Pittsburgh focusing their attention on what the team will look like when Week 1 of the 2023 campaign arrives.
The Steelers front office knew what they were getting into this season. That’s why they committed to a number of younger players in their starting lineup. Those young players took their lumps in 2022 but it should pay off for Tomlin and his coaching staff in the future.
Of course, the team didn’t dump all their veterans. They do have some players headed toward the decline stage of their respective careers. One star defensive lineman could see his game take a big dip very soon.
Steelers player that won’t improve in 2023: Cameron Heyward
Heyward has played at a Pro Bowl level this year but he’ll be 34 years old when next season kicks off. That puts him in serious danger of seeing his performance start to drop precipitously.
The good news for Pittsburgh is that Heyward has plenty of room to decline before he becomes anything less than a quality starter. His PFF grade of 90.4 this season illustrates just how good he’s been up front. His nine sacks are a big reason why the Steelers defense has remained competitive even when the offense has struggled to hold up their end of the bargain.
The Steelers don’t need to find Heyward’s immediate replacement this offseason, but expecting him to take a step forward would be foolish. Instead, Pittsburgh should count on the following three players to provide their roster with internal improvement.
